Drug Onset/Duration Times for Writers
Someone recently asked if I could do an onset times list and while I feel like I've done this before I couldn't find it, so here you go!
Onset time is the amount of time after administration that a drug begins to work. Onset times frequently have more to do with the route the drug is given than the particular drug. Generally an oral medication will start working in 30-60 minutes, a medication injected into the muscle (IM) will start working in 15-30 minutes, and a medication injected into a vein (IV) will start working in 1-5 minutes.
Duration times are how long a medication works once it starts working. Unlike onset times, these vary considerably depending on the medication itself and the route used to administer it.
Pain:
Aspirin (pain, fever)
Oral: Onset 30 minutes, duration 4-6 hours for pain (7-10 days for anticoagulation)
Acetaminophen (pain, fever)
Oral: onset 60 minutes, duration 4-6 hours
IV: onset 5-10 minutes, duration 4-6 hours
Ibuprofen (pain, fever)
Oral: onset 30 minutes, duration 6-8 hours
IV: onset 30 minutes, duration 6-8 hours
Ketorolac (pain)
Oral: onset 30 minutes, duration 4-6 hours
IV: onset 30 minutes, duration 4-6 hours
Morphine (pain)
Oral: onset 30 minutes, duration 3-5 hours
IM: onset 10-30 minutes, duration 4-5 hours
IV: onset 5-10 minutes, duration 4-5 hours
Fentanyl (pain)
IM: onset 7-8 minutes, duration 1-2 hours
IV: onset almost immediate, duration 30-60 minutes
Hydromorphone (pain)
Oral: onset 15-30 minutes, duration 3-4 hours
IV: onset 5 minutes, duration unknown
Sedation:
Lorazepam (agitation, anxiety)
Oral: onset 20-30 minutes, duration 6-8 hours
IV: onset 1-3 minutes, duration 4-6 hours
IM: onset
Diazepam (anti-seizure, anxiety)
Oral: onset 15-60 minutes, duration 12+ hours
IV: onset 1-5 minutes, duration 12+ hours
IM: onset
Rectal: onset 5 minutes, duration 12+ hours
Haloperidol
Oral: onset 30-60 minutes, duration 4-6 hours
IV: onset within seconds, duration 4-6 hours
IM: onset 5-15 minutes, duration 4-6 hours
Diphenhydramine (usually used together with lorazepam and haloperidol for emergency sedation for psych reasons)
Oral: onset 15-30 minutes, duration 4-6 hours
IV: onset 5-10 minutes, duration 4-6 hours
IM: onset 30-60 minutes, duration 4-6 hours
Anti-Nausea:
Ondansetron
Oral: onset 15-30 minutes, duration 6-8 hours
IV: onset rapid, duration 4-8 hours
Promethazine
Oral: onset 20 minutes, duration 4-12 hours
IV: onset 5 minutes, duration 12+ hours
IM: onset 20 minutes, duration 12+ hours
Stimulants:
Methylphenidate:
Oral: onset 20-60 minutes, duration 3-4 hours
Amphetamine/Dexamphetamine:
Oral: onset 20-60 minutes, duration 4-6 hours
Recreational:
Marijuana
Smoked: onset 30 seconds to 10 minutes, duration 3-6 hours
Oral: onset 30-90 minutes, duration 4-12 hours
Ketamine
IV: onset 30 seconds, duration 5-10 minutes
Snorted: onset 10 minutes, duration 60 minutes
Alcohol
Oral: onset 10 minutes, duration about 1 hour per standard drink consumed
(at this point I tried to google others but it started giving me crisis hotlines so I stopped)
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